His Words
by i-love-svu
Summary: This is the sequel to 'Sara's Secret'. GSR Will Sara share her secret with Grissom also? Or will Catherine have to tell him? Rated T just to be safe. COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey! I'm back! I have so many ideas for new stories, but I'm not convinced I am a good writer. I've read some stories lately that made me feel like "Hey, you shouldn't be writing. Leave it up to those people!" But I'm gonna try! This is the sequel Sara's Secret. I suggest reading it first; GSR all the way, baby! Enjoy!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI. I offered Jerry everything I own but he didn't seem too interested in CDs, posters and clothes. :) :)**

Sara drove silently down Henry street. Usually when she took this road, it was noisy and filled with cars. But now, it seemed that it's busy life paused after midnight.

She gently eased the car to a stop and let her arms fall at her sides.

"_I told Catherine my biggest secret. Out of all of people I could have told, I told her."_

Her mind swirled with thoughts.

"_Maybe I shouldn't have told her. I could have told Warrick or Nick. Hell, even Greg. I could have told Grissom."_

At that,she started to drive again.

"_Grissom. Why didn't I think of him? He came when I got suspended. He's always been there for me. Why didn't I tell him?"_

Sara turned off of Henry and onto 10th street; The street her apartment building was on.

As she turned the Tahoe off, she didn't remove her seatbelt. She didn't even remove the key from the engine. She simply laid her head on the steering wheel and sighed.

Slowly, she replayed everything that had happened at Catherine's in her head.

_**Flashback**_

"_Catherine, I've never told anyone this. It's taken me all the years I've known you to convince myself I could tell you. I was a freshman in college. One night I had a late class and was walking back to my dorm by myself. I dropped one of my books and when I stood back up, a man had a gun pointed to my head and told me to get on the ground. I dropped my books and couldn't stop crying so he hit me a couple of times. That only made things worse; I started hyperventilating and the man said "Jesus, I've never heard such a whiner. Shut the hell up!" I'll never forget those words. I was so scared. And I thought he was only going to rob me. I don't know what made me think that, but boy I was wrong."_

_Sara sighed and kept going. "Then… he raped me. I tried to fight back but he hit me some more and I felt like something was wrong with my ankle. When he finished, he stood up, walked away from me and yelled "Hey! Guys!" I couldn't move and didn't understand why he'd said that until I heard the other men talking with him. They were talking to him when I heard him say really loud "Go ahead. She won't give you any trouble." After hearing that I propped myself up on my elbows and saw 4 other men walking towards me. I tried to get up and run but looked at my ankle and could tell it was definitely broken. Two men held me down while the other two raped. Then they switched while the two that had been holding me raped me. After they finished, they all left. All 5 of them together, laughing like old friends. I laid there, hidden by the bushes until dawn; When I finally decided I needed help. I managed to walk to the hospital on campus and told the nurse I had hurt my ankle. I never even mentioned being raped. I Just sat there while she put on my cast and thanked her when she was done. I hid in my dorm for six weeks. I had this girl that was in all my classes drop off the assignments. She even drove me to the hospital when it was time to get my cast off. I think she knew something was wrong, but just never said anything to me about it. As the weeks went by, things got harder and harder. The nightmares got worse, I had trouble leaving the dorm, and I could hardly eat anything without getting sick. I was a wreck and was too scared to let anyone help me. Then I met you decided I could trust you. But I've been working up the nerve to tell you for 5 years. I still have those nightmares and after the one tonight woke me up, I decided I couldn't hold it in any longer. Then I drove over here and well… Here we are." _

_Sara swallowed hard and started crying again._

_**End Flashback **_

Tears began gliding down Sara's cheeks. Her biggest secret had been revealed. The secret she had never intended anyone to hear.

And as she sat in her car, regretting exposing that part of her life, she felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off of her chest. Almost like her life had started up once again.

Sara gently sighed.

"Okay, I'll just go inside and take a nice hot bath. That'll calm me down," She whispered to herself.

But she couldn't persuade herself to lift her head up. She couldn't even convince herself she could make it to her apartment without fainting.

The lightheaded feeling had seemed to consume her, and she decided to stay where she was at.

After several moments of her head uncomfortably resting on the wheel, her cell phone began to vibrate.

Sara pushed herself up and grabbed her phone off of the passenger seat.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Sara, it's Grissom. I know you're off tonight, but I need your help. Warrick's wife got sick and I'm short. If you're busy-"

"No, no. I can come in. What's the address?"

She jotted the location down on a napkin from her favorite diner and started the car once again.

_**At The Crime Scene**_

Gil sipped his coffee as he waited for Sara to arrive. Sure, he could have handled the scene himself. After all, it was just a robbery and he had mastered what to collect and dust at a robbery scene long ago.

But he needed to see her.

More or less, he wanted to see her. But he couldn't just invite him over to his house. He was thankful Brass had phoned him. Now he had an excuse to call her.

A smile spread on his face as her black Tahoe pulled up. But as she stepped out of the vehicle, he noticed something different about her.

She normally walked with pride and with a straight back. Now she was slightly slouching, causing her to resemble a female hit man.

"Hey," Sara smiled. She was happy to see Gil.

"Hey. You okay?" He asked. The words just shot out of his mouth without his brain giving them any thought.

Sara pulled at her shirt as she replied "Yeah, I'm fine. So, what do we have?"

Grissom smiled sheepishly.

"A robbery."

Sara looked confused.

"A… a robbery? You called me on my night off for… a robbery?" A giggle escaped her chapped lips.

Gil ran his hand through his hair. He should have known better; He couldn't just call her whenever he needed to see her. It didn't look very professional.

"Well, I thought maybe you were bored. And I was kinda lonely. So…"

Sara nodded knowingly.

"It's okay. Shall we?"

She carefully clicked off a few pictures of the open cash register. Then a set of foot prints on the floor that looked like boots.

"Video surveillance?"

"Hmm?" Grissom replied. He hadn't been listening; He was too busy trying to think of a way to ask Sara out.

"Does this store have video surveillance?" She repeated.

"Um, I think so. Let me go check with the manager."

Sara hadn't really cared about the video; She had felt Grissom eyeing her and it had been making her nervous.

"Yes, there is video. But the camera that covers the registers apparently 'broke' two days ago."

Sara scoffed.

"Yeah right. 'Broke' is code for Inside Job."

Grissom smiled as he pulled out a fingerprint brush from his kit. Sara was funny, smart and beautiful. What more could he want?

Sara continued taking pictures as Gil fingerprinted the parts of the register she had already photographed.

He loved working with her. Even when she was emotional, she was one of the smartest women he had ever met.

"_But tonight," _He silently noted. _"She's different. She's distant She's still beautiful and smart, though."_

Sara gently set her camera on the black conveyer belt. She pulled out her flashlight to look at the belt. It had stains of various grocery items; Milk, gravy, broken eggs. She glanced up at Gil as he lightly dusted cash register drawer.

She smiled at him as she thought _"Gil, I love you."_

Gil grinned as he muttered.

"Sara, I love you."


	2. Chapter 2

"What?" Sara asked, her voice filled with confusion.

"What what?" Gil replied.

"What the hell did you just say?"

Gil looked around the empty store, his eyes avoiding Sara's.

"I didn't say anything," He gulped and starting packing up his kit.

"I heard you say something. Something about me. Now, what was it?"

Sara was becoming more and more agitated.

"Sara, I did not say anything. Please, can we just go? We need to enter this evidence into the vault."

Sara shook her head angrily.

"Fine. But I will find out what you said, if I have to pry it out of you with my last ounce of strength."

"_Whew,"_ Gil sighed. _"That was a close one. You'd better watch your tongue, Grissom, or she'll have your ass in a sling."_

**At The Lab**

Sara daintily sipped her coffee as she sat in her chair, waiting for AFIS to finish checking the fingerprints Grissom had collected against old crimes.

"_What the hell did he say?" _She thought. _"Something about me. Something, something, something Sara. This is driving me nuts!"_

She stirred in another packet of sugar and continued to try and figure out what he had said.

"How much sugar is in that?" A voice asked from behind her.

Sara spun around in her chair to see Catherine leaning casually up against the door frame.

The strawberry-blond entered and took a seat next to Sara.

"Sara, honey, I really didn't expect to see you here. I thought after what you told me, you might take a vacation."

Sara swallowed.

"I was going to, but Grissom called me and said he was short one person. I would've just been bored hanging around my apartment anyway."

Catherine looked out into the hallway before asking Sara "You didn't tell Grissom what you told me?"

Sara looked down at the worn floor.

"Sara! You have to tell him. He needs to know, and you and I both know that him knowing might help your… relationship."

Sara's cheeks turned crimson. "Cath, Grissom and I do not have a relationship. I swear."

Catherine looked Sara in the eye with a knowing look.

"Okay, so maybe we do. But it's not like we're a 'normal' couple. We've never even been out on date!"

Catherine placed a comforting hand on Sara's shoulder as she said "Sara, you have to tell him. If you don't, I will. And I really do not want him to find out from me."

Sara smiled graciously.

"Thanks, Cath. I'll try. But it took me five years to be able to tell you. Just give me some time."

Catherine stood up and walked out into the hallway, but took a step backward and smiled.

"Sara?"

"Hmm?"

"Please, do not put anymore sugar into that coffee. Okay?"

Sara laughed as Catherine walked away, feeling glad that someone else also knew her secret.

**Grissom's Office**

Gil sat quietly at his desk, his pet tarantula sitting peacefully in his palm.

He thought about what had escaped his lips in that store; The three words he had been longing to say to Sara ever since he had met her.

With great care, he put the spider back in it's cage just as Sara burst into the room, beaming and holding a piece of paper.

"Grissom! Guess—What the hell are you doing?"

Gil smiled brightly.

"Feeding Harry. Would you like to hold him?"

"No thank you. But I have good news and it's not about me saving money on my car insurance," Sara replied, smiling.

Gil chuckled; _"She has a wonderful sense of humor,"_ He thought.

"The prints you collected off of the cash register? They match the prints of an old robbery!"

"Really? That's great!" Grissom replied.

Sara turned to leave his office, but Gil stopped her.

"Sara? Would you like to go to dinner with me?"

She turned around very slowly. _"Dinner? No way. I can't. I just can't," _She thought.

"I'd love to!"

Grissom smiled as he said "Okay. I'll pick you up at 7."

Sara left Gil's office, silently cursing herself for excepting his offer.

**Sara's Apartment**

_Ding-dong._ The sound of the doorbell woke Sara up from her daydream.

"Surely he's not this early," She whispered to herself. Glancing at her watch, she saw it was only going on 4.

She peered through the peephole and was surprised to see that it was Catherine.

"Hey, Cath. What are you doing you?" Sara asked as she motioned for Catherine to enter.

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see what you were doing, I suppose."

Sara sat down on the couch.

"Just lying around, waiting for Gri-"

"I knew it! You are going on a date with Grissom! Ha, Nick owes me $30!"

Sara's jaw dropped. "What? Where did you hear that from?"

Catherine joined Sara on the couch.

"I have my sources."

Sara laughed.

"Grissom told you, didn't he?"

Catherine looked around the stylish apartment. "Yep. He asked me where he should take the only woman he ever wanted to impress. I knew it was you."

Sara cocked her head to one side, but didn't say anything. She was confused; _"**I'm** the woman he wants to impress?"_

"Oh, don't act so dumb. You knew that before I said it."

"No I didn't! Well, maybe. How did you know?" Sara asked.

Catherine gently sighed.

"The way he acts around you; Always finding some reason to touch your arm or back, brushing against you as he walks by. The look in his eyes when he sees you coming. It's obvious, Sara."

Sara leaned back on the couch; It was obvious. Everyone had seen it. Everyone except her.

"Cath, help me?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

**Sara's Bedroom**

"Okay, let's see what you've got!" Catherine exclaimed. She had just agreed to help Sara find the perfect clothes for her date with Grissom.

"Well how about-"

"No. It has to be sexy but sophisticated. Smart but hot. Cute but not 'Hey I'm a little girl'. How about that?"

Catherine eagerly pointed to a black dress she had spotted in the back of Sara's closet.

Sara removed the dress from the closet and held it up to her slender figure. Catherine sucked in a breath.

"Sara, go put it on. I think we found The One."

Sara reluctantly stepped into her bathroom and put the dress on. Nearly 10 minutes later, she let out a shriek.

"NO! I am not wearing this!" She yelled to Catherine.

"Please come out? I want to see it. I bet it would make Grissom faint. Please?" Catherine pleaded. She wanted Sara to know that she was on her side.

Sara slowly opened the bathroom door, exposing an almost new person.

The black dress looked stunning on Sara; It hugged her body in just the right places. Places that made men fall head over heels for women.

"Sara! Oh, wow! Look in the mirror!" Catherine exclaimed.

Sara took 3 giant steps to position herself in front of her mirror; Upon seeing herself, her breath caught in her throat.

"Wow. I- wow. That's just, wow!"

Catherine giggled as she asked "Do you have shoes to go with that?"

Sara nodded, still admiring herself.

"Thanks Cath. Just one more question; Should I tell him tonight? Or wait until we've gone on a few more dates?"

Catherine sat down on Sara's bed. "I'm not sure. You'll have to figure that one out for yourself."

She stood up, glanced one last time at Sara, and left the apartment feeling very accomplished.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know this chapter this short, but I had trouble figuring out what this chapters content should be. Enjoy!**

Sara slowly twirled around while looking at herself in the mirror. She was finally ready for her date with Grissom.

Carefully, she slipped on the black heels she had chosen and dabbed her lips with lip gloss.

After glancing in the mirror once last time, she strode out to the living room feeling happier than she had in a long time.

**Grissom's Tahoe**

Gil slowly pulled into a spot outside of Sara's apartment and shut off his car.

"All right, here you are. Just be yourself. Everything will be fine," He whispered to himself.

Opening his door, he stepped out into the chilly Vegas air. It as unusually cool and he tugged at his jacket, waiting for a warmth that would never come.

The entire way up the stairs to Sara's, he pondered what the evening would be like. Would Sara have fun? Would she enjoy his company or find him annoying?

Before he knew it, he was knocking on Sara's door.

"Coming!" She yelled from inside.

Upon hearing her voice, Gil smiled.

Slowly, Sara swung the door open and Gil's jaw dropped when he saw her.

"Hey," She greeted. "Are you okay?"

Gil smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. You look… amazing!"

Sara giggled; It wasn't like him to complement her.

"We are going to dinner, right? This isn't too dressy?"

Gil shook his head.

"Sara, it's fine. I'm wearing a tux, you're wearing a dress. I mean, people might think we're going to a wedding but it'll be fine."

He extended his arm and Sara gladly took it.

As the two made their way to the car, small talk could be heard accompanied by Sara's nervous giggles.

**The Bellagio**

Sara daintily ate her garden salad as Gil spoke.

"So, how come we've never gone out to dinner before?"

Sara swallowed her mouthful and grinned.

"Because you always have an excuse as to why you can't."

Gil looked confused; He had always wanted to go to dinner with Sara but couldn't figure out why he hadn't.

"So, what made you finally ask me out?" Sara was over the moon that he finally had, but she wanted to the details as to what had made him do it.

"Oh, I guess I just finally came to my senses," Gil replied.

As Sara smiled, a thought crossed her mind.

"_You could ask him over to your place. You could talk or watch a movie."_

"Griss?"

"Yes, Sara?"

"Would you like to come over to my place after dinner? We could talk or watch a movie. Or talk."

Gil smiled.

"I'd love to. After we're done talking it should be time to go to work."

He didn't show it, but Gil was incredibly excited Sara had asked him over.

**Sara's Apartment**

Sara unlocked the door and gestured for Gil to enter first.

"Just let me put my normal clothes back on. I'll be right out, okay?" Sara rushed into her bedroom without waiting for an answer.

"_Okay, talk to him for a while. Then tell him what happened. It'll be fine,"_ She thought.

She carefully removed her dress and put on her favorite pair of jeans and the shirt she had thrown on her bed earlier.

"Would you like something to drink? Tea, beer?" Sara asked. She had never been good at playing hostess.

"No, I'm fine. What did you want to talk about?"

Suddenly, all of Sara's confidence about telling Gil what had happened to her was gone.

Grissom sat down on the couch.

"Sara, what did you want to talk about?"

She joined him on the couch.

"Um, look, it's really hard to talk about. I just wanted to let you know that when I can talk about it, I'll let you know."

Gil started to move closer to her, but noticed she was slightly shaking and backed off.

"Sara, you can tell me now. I promise, I'll listen," He soothed.

"I can't. It's too hard."

Sara drew in a shaky breath.

"_Great," _She thought. _"I can barely breathe."_

Sara pulled her knees to her chest and locked her arms around them.

"Sara, please tell me. Maybe I can help."

"No! I can't. Maybe you should just leave," Sara sputtered.

Gil sighed.

"Sara, I don't think that's such a good idea. I don't want to leave you alone."

Sara could feel her entire body gently trembling.

"Please, just leave. I can't tell you right now. It's too painful."

Gil didn't let up.

"Sara, keeping things bottled up doesn't solve the problem. It just prolongs the healing process."

She was now getting angry with him.

"You don't understand. It's really painful. Please, just leave and when I'm ready, I'll tell you!"

Gil reluctantly stood up.

"Okay. I'm so sorry, honey. If you need anything, just call me. You can have the night off," Gil calmly said.

He slowly left the apartment, feeling like he had hurt Sara.

After closing the door, he stood outside it for a moment.

Tears stung his deep blue eyes as he heard Sara's sobs.


	4. Chapter 4

Sara mumbled incoherently as she slowly started to wake up.

She threw the large throw blanket that had been covering her up across the room and stumbled the few feet to her kitchen.

Even though her head was pounding, she rifled through her kitchen looking for a pan to cook eggs in.

"Ugh, I really should clean once and a while," She said to herself.

She slammed the last cupboard door with a groan but smiled when she saw the red light on her answering machine was blinking.

Carefully, she plopped down on the couch.

"_Do I really want to hear what he has to say?" _She debated.

"_You've lost it. You don't even know if it's him!"_

Sara laughed as she pressed the play button.

"Sara, it's Grissom. I just wanted to check on you. And see if you would like to go out with me again. I promise, I won't make you talk about anything you don't want to. Bye."

As the message ended, Sara's smile spread even farther across her face.

She glanced at her watch and saw it was almost three o'clock; She had slept much longer than she had intended.

Excitedly, she picked up the phone and called Gil back.

"Griss, it's Sara. I would love to go out with you. Okay, see you at 7, again. Bye."

Sara ran off to her bedroom to pick her outfit.

She hadn't noticed that she had another message.

**Grissom's House**

Gil sat down at his kitchen table, paper in hand.

"_Where the hell am I going to take her? Dinner two nights in a row would seem like I'm trying to fatten her up. Probably wouldn't hurt, as skinny as she is," _He pondered.

"Maybe to the movies. I wonder if she's an Orlando Bloom fan," Gil said aloud. "Probably not."

"_Just call and ask her what she wants to do!"_

Slowly, he picked up his phone and dialed Sara's number. After six rings, he decided he would just have to choose something. She would either like it or not.

**Catherine's Office**

Catherine sipped her coffee slowly; As long as she had been a CSI, she hadn't gotten used to the liquid people called 'coffee' that was found in the break room.

She set down her paper cup and silently wondered how things had gone with Sara and Grissom's date.

Smiling, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed Sara's number.

"Hello?" Sara asked.

"Sara, hi! It's Catherine! How did your date go?"

"Wow, you get right to the point. It was… a disaster. But he's taking me out again tonight to make up for it!" Sara enthusiastically shared.

"Really? That's great! What have you picked out to wear?"

Catherine was as eager as Sara for this relationship to happen. Not only did Warrick owe her $50 if it worked out, but Grissom and Sara had this certain… chemistry that. She had never seen two people work so well together.

"Well," Sara started, jolting Catherine from her thoughts. "I'm not sure what we're doing. So I have no idea what to wear."

Catherine sighed.

"Okay, how about those really nice jeans? The one that aren't faded?" Sara giggled. Almost all of her jeans became faded the week after she bough them, simply because of her job.

"And the long sleeved shirt with the snowflake on the front. That'd look so great! And tennis shoes. You have enough to think about on a date, so why add the pain of heels?" Catherine smiled, clearly happy with herself.

"I don't know how you do it. It'll look so good! But what if we go out to dinner?"

Catherine's face turned from smiling to thinking.

"Trust me, guys never take a girl out to dinner two nights in a row. They think we'll think they're trying to make us fatten up."

"Okay, Cath. Thanks! You're a life saver!"

Catherine closed her phone and was glad for the moments of bonding that seemed to be going on between them.

She smiled as her phone rang.

"Cath, I need help. I'm taking Sara out again tonight, but I don't know what to do. Not dinner again; Never dinner two nights in a row. Please help?"

Catherine smiled.

"Okay. Well how about…"

**Sara's Apartment**

Sara glanced down at her watch.

"6:55? Man, time flies."

She put on her jacket, being very careful not to mess up her hair. She hadn't done anything special to it; She just didn't want anything to mess this date up.

The doorbell ran and Sara ran to the door.

"Hi!" She eagerly greeted.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. I had something I had to take care of and I got held up," Gil responded.

"Late? You're five minutes early!"

Gil pulled back his coat sleeve to look at his watch.

"Oh. Well then, sorry I'm early," He flashed a grin that almost made Sara turn into a puddle.

"It's fine, really. So, what are we doing?"

Grissom smiled once again.

"I thought I'd let you pick."

A mock-shocked look crossed Sara's face.

"Me? Really? Whoa! I'm not really sure. Movies? Oh, would you like to go to my favorite place to eat?"

"It's up to you," Gil replied.

"Okay, let's hit the diner first. Then we can go to the movies. I'll pay!"

Gil slowly put his hand on Sara's waist; She almost pulled away when she remember that he didn't know her secret.

"_It's okay," _ She thought. _"He won't hurt you. He loves you."_

"No, I'll pay. I asked you out on this date," Gil said with another smile.

Gil guided Sara out the door.

Their talking and laughing could be heard as they walked down the hallway.

The red light on Sara's answering machine still blinking.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm not sure how many more chapters this story will have, but kept reading! Enjoy!**

Grissom followed Sara into the diner and the two took a booth overlooking the setting sun.

"Nice, isn't it?" Sara asked, with a nervous edge to her voice.

Grissom slowly took in the diner.

"It's very nice. Is the food good?"

Sara laughed.

"Of course it's good! I wouldn't have chosen this place if the food wasn't good!"

She was nervous, which surprised her. She hadn't been nervous on their first date.

"What do you suggest?" Gil asked.

Sara looked confused.

Gil smiled. "To eat?"

"Oh," Sara laughed. "Anything's good, really. I've never had their burgers, because-"

Grissom interrupted, "I know, you haven't tried the burgers because you're vegetarian."

Sara smiled, clearly surprised that he knew she was vegetarian.

"Yo, Mario!" She called the rather large man behind the counter. "Two coffees and a menu for my friend. I'll have my usual."

She smiled once again.

Grissom was slightly shocked that Sara had a 'usual'. Once the shocked part of him calmed down, he was eager to see what this 'usual' was.

Mario quickly carried two cups of coffee over to the table and handed Gil a menu.

He started to walk away, but Gil called him back.

"You know, I think I'll just have what Sara's having," He said with a smile.

Mario took back the menu in the hand that wasn't occupied by the coffee pot.

"You sure? Sara, does he know what you get?"

Sara giggled as she brushed her hair out of her face.

"Well, if he doesn't like it, I will take it home and eat it later. Deal?"

Mario nodded and took off for the kitchen.

"So," Sara started, sipping gingerly on her coffee, "What else do you know about me?"

Grissom slowly stirred a packet of cream into his coffee. His blue eyes connected with Sara's, causing her breath to catch in her throat, for some reason or another.

"You really want to know?"

Sara nodded. "Yes I want to know!"

Gil sighed.

"I thought so. Okay, you drink your coffee only with sugar and lots of it. You tend to forget to eat, but make up for it later when you do remember. You still have the flower I gave you when we first met; It fell apart, so you put it in plastic wrap and placed it on your bookcase. You like animals and kids. And evidently, you like salad," Gil finished, nodding to Mario, who was standing at their table with two very large salads.

"Thanks, Mario. No breadsticks today?" Sara asked, still wide-eyed at Gil.

The waiter shook his head.

"Sorry. Sold out earlier. I'll make a fresh batch tomorrow and you get first dibs."

Sara smiled but once the Mario was gone, her lips formed a very thin line.

"I… I'm stunned. I never knew that you know so much about me. And I'm a little frightened, 'cause that's a little stalker-ish," She joked.

Gil looked down at his salad with a sour face.

"You actually eat this?"

Sara laughed.

"Mario! Sorry, but can you get him a burger?"

"Ew!"

"What?" Sara asked, with her half mouth full.

"There's something purple in my salad!" Gil teased.

Sara laughed again.

"It's good! I always pegged you for a salad kind of guy. No?"

Gil pushed his salad aside.

"Never. Well, once in a while. And not a giant one. And definitely nothing purple. Sorry," He apologized.

Sara swallowed a few gulps of coffee.

"It's fine. We don't like all the same things. You eat your burger and I will enjoy my delicious salad," She grinned.

Mario handed Gil his burger and with a smile said in a sing-song tone, "I told you that you wouldn't like it!"

He went back to the kitchen and Gil smiled.

"So, I take it you come here often?"

Sara pretended to be shocked.

"Oh, something he doesn't know about me! I come here all the time. It's good food and the people are nice."

Gil picked up his fork and knife and started cutting his sandwich.

Sara stifled a giggle.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Gil looked around the almost empty diner.

"Me?"

"Yes you. Who else would I be talking to?" Sara raised one brow.

"I'm cutting my sandwich."

"But, you're a grown man."

Gil shifted in his seat.

"I know, but I've done this ever since I was a kid. I can't help it, it's habit."

Sara smiled. "I'm sorry. I'm just not used to dates cutting up their food. Continue, please."

Grissom returned the smile.

"Sara, you can talk to me anytime you want to. I just want you to know that," He said softly.

She gently put her fork back down on the table. She couldn't tell him; Not on their second date.

"Sara, it's okay. I already know most of the stuff about you. It'll be fine. What could one little thing do?"

"It could change someone's life," She whispered so softly that Gil couldn't hear her.

"I can't tell you yet," She answered.

Gil sighed.

He starting talking again, but Sara blocked his voice out. She folded her arms and put them on the table, then lowered her head so Gil couldn't see her face.

Tears streamed silently down her face until they reached her nose and rolled off into her salad bowl; Gil didn't seem to notice.

"What don't I know about you? Nothing, I don't think," Gil babbled.

Sara raised her head and didn't even try to hide that she was crying.

Uneasily, she looked deep into Gil's eyes.

"I," She started, whispering hoarsely, "I was raped. That's the thing you didn't know about me!"

She jumped up from the table and ran outside, on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Sara!" Gil called. He hadn't known; Now he felt like a jerk for saying he knew everything about her.

Sara ran until she reached her apartment, which was 3 blocks and 5 flights of stairs away. Oddly, she wasn't out of breath.

She sank down the floor, letting her sobs erupt like lava from a volcano.

She didn't care anymore; Grissom was a jerk and he didn't love her. She shouldn't have been so blind.

"Sara?" Gil calmly asked.

"How did you catch up to me?"

Gil let out a breath.

"Well, I run on occasion, too. When it involves someone I love." He smiled. "Come on, let's get you inside."

"No!" Sara yelled. "Just, just go home or back to your bugs! I don't need your help."

Gil joined Sara on the floor and wrapped his arm around Sara.

She stood up and before she knew it, she was in his arms.

"Sara, it's okay. I didn't mean to be a jerk. I just love you so much that I wanted to impress you. It's okay. I'm sorry," He soothed.

Sara spun away from him.

"No. I'm not going to let myself get hurt again. Just leave! If I need your help, I'll tell you."

Gil sighed as he walked away, feeling like his heart had just exploded.

After he was out of sight, Sara unlocked her apartment door and entered. She flipped on the light and was surprised to see that she had another message.

After pressing play, she went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water.

"Hi Sara. Remember me?"

She gasped upon hearing the voice. She ran to the machine but before she could stop the tape, a man emerged from her bedroom and clamped his hand over her mouth.

As he pulled her into the bedroom, overtop of her muffled screams, she heard the man say along with the tape the two most frightening words she'd ever heard.

"I'm Back."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, I just realised that almost this whole chapter was in italic. Sorry! I fixed it. Enjoy!**

As the man dragged Sara towards her bedroom, she couldn't think of anything. Not how to get away, how to survive. She could barely remember to breathe.

"So, how have you been?" The man asked.

The man pushed Sara away so he could see her.

"Obviously, you've been well," His smile made Sara want to vomit.

"Why are you here? I never told anyone what you did! Just leave me alone!" She said with tears threatening to spill over at any moment.

He grabbed Sara as hard as he could on her left arm; She let out a yelp as his nails broke her skin.

"Well, I just wanted to check up on you. You know, make sure you were okay."

Sara tried to twist out of his grasp, but as she twisted his nails dug deeper into her arm.

"Please, just let me go," Sara pleaded through gasps.

The man tightened his grip, causing Sara to fall to her knees in pain. When he finally let go of her arm, she saw the wounds he had inflicted and she knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant night.

**Grissom's Office**

Grissom reclined in his chair, deeply engrossed in one of his entomology books.

_"Aphantopus hyperantus,"_ He smiled. "The only one missing from my collection. Interesting, isn't it Harry?"

He turned to his spider only to see it hiding under a rock.

A quiet knock came from the door, jolting Gil from his little talk.

"Come in!"

He seemed surprised to see Catherine enter.

"Hey, Grissom. Whatcha doing?"

"Nothing. You?" He answered cautiously.

"Oh, just checking in on everyone. How's Sara?"

Gil opened the only folder on his desk and pretended to be busy.

"I wouldn't know," He coldly replied.

"What!" Catherine asked, very clearly outraged. "But, didn't you go on another date?"

Gil sighed.

"Yes. But I was a jerk and I ruined it," He hung his head.

Catherine sat down in the chair in front of Grissom's desk.

"Call her. Go over. Something! I can't stand to see you unhappy!"

Gil sighed again.

"Alright. But I really do not think she'll answer when she sees my name on the called I.D.."

Catherine instantly pulled her cell phone of out the pocket of her jeans.

"Use mine. It'll give me an excuse to sit here and listen," She said with a sly smile.

Gil dialed the number and prayed Sara would answer.

**Sara's Apartment**

As Sara sat on the floor trying to stay calm, a distant sound caused her to look up at her attacker.

"What is that?" He asked impatiently.

"Um, it's my work cell phone. The lab probably needs me," She responded, hoping he would let her answer it.

The man shook his head.

"No. You're not going to answer it. Let them think you're not home."

Sara felt defeated but smirked when the phone started ringing again.

"Bitch, you can forget about answering it, do you hear me!"

He slapped Sara with all his might; She was now lying on her side on the floor.

The metallic taste of blood made Sara gag.

"What do you want?" She asked, a sudden wave of strength coming over her.

"Nothing, I already told you that. Maybe to smack you around a little. How's that?"

The man kicked her in the ribs and Sara knew right away she had at least one broken rib.

Little did she know that the rib was the least of her worries.

**Grissom's Office**

"She's not answering," Gil sighed.

"Maybe she's sick. Let's go over and check on her," Catherine suggested.

Gil looked out of the empty halls of the CSI building.

"No. I don't want her to be any angrier than I have already made her."

Catherine sank down in her seat.

She wanted Gil to be happy. She loved the way he acted when he was around Sara; He was in love and he couldn't hide it. She hadn't met a man who could.

Gil dialed again and this time, he left a message.

"Sara, it's Grissom. I just wanted to see how you are. Please call me when you get this. Bye."

Grissom removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

He so badly wanted to apologize to Sara; But he couldn't if she wouldn't even take his calls.

Thoughts tumbled throughout his mind as he tried to figure out a way to make her see he loved her.

"Gil? You okay?" Catherine asked.

He nodded.

"Yeah," He sighed. "Let's go."

**Sara's Apartment**

Sara groaned as her breathing became labored. She was taking short trembling breaths; Mostly because she was terrified of what the man was going to do next.

"You have a boyfriend?"

Sara looked at the floor.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him pull a gun out of his pants.

"I said, do you have a boyfriend?" He was becoming more and more agitated and Sara had to do her best to keep him calm.

"Um, no. I don't."

He sat down on Sara's bed.

"Really? I always thought you would have one. Hmm, did I mess you up that bad?" He laughed while Sara fought to control her anger.

He stood up and began pacing the room.

Sara glanced around, trying to remember what possible weapons she could use.

"Sara, did you enjoy yourself that night? I sure did. And my friends did too," Almost evil laughter seemed to come from the man.

She couldn't help it any longer.

"Just shut up! Shut up! You think raping a defenseless woman is funny! You are one sick bastard!"

The man didn't move right away. But after a few moments, he struck.

He punched Sara a few times in the face, then tried to kiss her.

Sara felt disoriented; She tried to push him off but their lips connected and Sara felt like it was five years earlier.

"No!" She screamed at the top of her lungs once the man pulled back.

"No?" He asked, clearly enjoying every minute. "Hmm, I see. Well you pick; I beat you up or we do something a little more intimate."

"Please, no," Sara whimpered. She silently prayed that Gil would show up and save her.

**Grissom's Car**

"So, did you have fun on the date until you became a jerk?" Catherine teasingly asked.

Gil shot a sideways warning glance at her.

"Okay, sorry. May I have my cell phone back?"

He hung a sharp right, causing Catherine to grab onto the emergency handle.

"Shit! Where the hell did you learn how to drive!"

Gil briefly smiled at her. He loved that they where old friends and weren't afraid to say what was on their minds.

"Cath?"

"Yes, Gilbert?" Catherine asked, mocking an annoyed mom tone.

"I really love her."

Catherine smiled.

"I know. I know. Can we get something to eat?"

Gil burst out laughing, not aware of the nightmare that awaited him.

**Sara's Apartment**

Sara sobbed uncontrollably as the man ripped her shirt.

"Please, no. Not again," She cried.

The man laughed as he mocked her. "'Please no. Not again'. Eh, shut up."

Sara frantically looked around her room. She couldn't see much since it had grown dark, but her alarm clock flashed 8:55; Almost time for her shift to start.

The blood on her face had dried, but it felt like her skin was ripping off every time she moved her face.

"Please, just let me go. I won't tell anyone. Please," She pleaded once again.

The man got to his feet and sat on her bed again.

"You're different. I don't remember you crying this much the first time. Why'd you change?"

Sara let out an angry sigh.

"Because you raped me!"

He laughed again; Every time he laughed it was like glass shards cutting into Sara.

"I think we would work well together. You know, boyfriend me. Girlfriend… You."

Sara's bottom lip trembled as he slid off the bed and slowly neared her.

"No? I think it's a good idea."

His smirk was forever etched into Sara's mind; She trembled as he traced his finger down her blood-caked arm.

She winced when he stopped and dug his nails into her arm.

"Please!" She whispered.

He continued tracing down her body with his finger; Sara hated it that she couldn't fight back.

She cringed every time his finger stopped. And every time he started moving again, she prayed that help was on the way.

**Apartment Parking Lot**

Grissom and Catherine quickly exited the vehicle.

"No light on. She's not home," He sighed.

Catherine started for the building.

"Let's go. Maybe she's just saving energy."

Gil smiled at her optimism.

The two sprinted up the stairs, Catherine following Grissom.

When they reached the floor Sara's apartment was on, the continued to sprint until they reached her door.

And when they did, Grissom's heart skipped a beat.

He could hear someone's muffled screaming coming from inside.

"Gil? No, don't even think about it! Call for backup!"

He didn't listen; He quietly turned the door knob and was shocked to find it unlocked.

Even though the screaming was muffled, Grissom could tell it was a woman.

It wasn't until then that he realized who it was.

"Sara?" He called.

He could hear Catherine on the phone.

"Dispatch this is CSI Willows requesting backup…"

Gil slowed pulled his gun out of its holster and made his way slowly for the back bedroom.

When he heard a blood curdling scream, he ran for the bedroom.

And what he saw nearly made him sick.

The man had his arm around Sara's neck and a gun to her head.

Sara tried to speak when she saw Grissom but nothing came out.

"Sara, don't talk. Backup is on the way so just stay calm. Catherine, call the paramedics!"

Catherine walked up behind Gil and gasped.

She also pulled her gun as she called the ambulance.

"Sir, why don't you just let her go and we can talk."

"No!" The man yelled. "I'm not letting her go!

"Please," Sara whispered. "I just want to lay down."

Gil took a few steps into the room, followed by Catherine.

"Sara? Sweetie, you have to stay awake. Just keep your eyes open," Gil soothed.

Sara nodded.

As the man heard sirens, he pushed the gun deeper into Sara's temple; Causing her to cry out in pain and Grissom to take a few more steps towards them.

"Please let her go. She never hurt you. Please, sir," Grissom pleaded.

Catherine kept her eyes on the man, making sure he didn't hurt Gil's one chance at happiness any more than he already had.

Sara winced as the man shifted his grip.

"Oh, shut up!" He said to her.

Suddenly, Jim Brass and three other men entered the room.

"Alright!" He said loud and clear. "Let her go! You really want to go against five cops with guns? Let her go!"

The man took one last look at Sara before letting her go.

She fell to the ground and Gil was instantly at her side.

"Hey sweetie. Sara, it's okay. You're safe. He's not going to hurt you," Tears ran down Gil's face.

"Griss?" Sara asked, hoarse from the beating.

"Yeah baby?"

"I'm sorry."

Gil gently stroked her uninjured arm.

"Shh, no. It's okay. You have nothing to be sorry about. Shh. It's okay."

Catherine joined them on the floor.

"Sara? It'll be okay."

The strawberry blond nodded as she fought to kept her tears back; After a moment they fell anyhow.

"Griss, I love you. I'm sorry."

He shook his head.

"Nothing to be sorry about sweetie. I love you to," Gil soothed as the paramedics loaded Sara onto a stretcher.

"May I ride with her?" He asked.

The paramedics nodded as they ran down the stairs, taking Sara's stats.

Sara stuck her hand out from under the blanket she was covered up with.

Gil grabbed it and held on as he ran alongside her once they were outside.

As Gil climbed into the ambulance with her, his tears continued to glide down his cheeks.

"It's okay, Sara. I'm here."


End file.
